Dr. Gilad Halpert is a trained biologist/immunologist with expertise in: experimental inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, improved drug delivery for the treatment of inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, functional autoantibodies and dangerous adjuvants affecting the immune system. Dr. Halpert holds B.Sc degree in Biology and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Biotechnology from Bar Ilan University, Israel – where he found a beneficial effect of novel Tellurium-based immunomodulators compounds for the treatment of experimental inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Dr. Halpert continued to his postdoctoral studies at The Center for Nanomedicine, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, USA – where he gained expertise in 'Nanomedicine-based therapeutic delivery for the treatment of IBD'. Currently, Dr. Halpert is the lab manager of a research laboratory at The Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Israel – where he conducts innovative research strategies for improving the management of inflammatory/autoimmune and rheumatic diseases (such as: IBD, RA, Fibromyalgia syndrome, silicone breast illness etc.), and supervise medical sciences and medical students. Dr. Halpert also serves as Research Fellow at the Department of Molecular Biology, at Ariel University, Israel.

Professor Graham R V Hughes MD FRCP __________________________________ Professor Graham Hughes trained at The London Hospital, and spent 2 years in New York working on the introduction of the DNA-binding test, under the leadership of Dr Charles Christian. In 1971, he opened the lupus clinic at Hammersmith Hospital, moving to St Thomas’ Hospital where he set up the Louise Coote Lupus Unit, a specialist unit dealing uniquely with lupus and related diseases. In 1986 he instituted an annual postgraduate meeting “Ten Topics in Rheumatology”, with satellite “Ten Topics” meetings now held in 6 countries. Professor Hughes is Founder and Editor of the international journal LUPUS. In 1983, he described the antiphospholipid syndrome, now known as Hughes Syndrome, and in 1991, together with colleagues, was awarded the ILAR (world research) prize for this work. Other honours include Doctor Honoris Causa in the Universities of Marseille and Barcelona, and ‘Master’ of the American College of Rheumatology. Professor Hughes is mostly known for his work with patients, and is Life President of the patients’ charity, Lupus UK. In December 2018, Professor Hughes was honoured to receive the “Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence”, presented by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a ceremony in Dubai.